Upgrade UniFi Controller Running as a Service

Ubiquiti provides instructions here for running the UniFi Controller as a service. What they don’t tell you is that when you try to upgrade the controller, you can’t, because the service is still running. Here are the instructions for that:

1. Back up your config from Settings > Maintenance > Download Backup. If that doesn’t work from remote access, try it from a browser on the LAN. If _that_ doesn’t work, go to Settings > Auto Backup and download the most recent backup.

2. On the server running the controller, open an administrative Command Prompt. Stop the UniFi Java service:

cd "%UserProfile%\Ubiquiti UniFi\"
java -jar lib\ace.jar stopsvc

3. Overinstall the new controller (run UniFi-installer.exe). On the last page of the install wizard, check “Start UniFi Controller after installation”.

4. In the small window that opens, wait until it says “UniFi Controller (x.xx.xx) started”:

Close the window (do not launch browser).

5. Back at the administrative Command Prompt, install and start the service: